Thursday, March 23, 2017

Assisted suicide bill defeated in Hawaii. The bill was a big fib.

Alex Schadenberg

Executive Director - Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

I have amazing news to share. Hawaii assisted suicide SB 1129 was defeated by being sent back for amendments. Hawaii political leaders listened and understood that the assisted suicide bill was different than what the assisted suicide lobby was saying.

The paternalism of the assisted suicide lobby astounds me. They assume that legislators will not read the language of the bill but vote based on sound bites alone. Hawaii legislators read the bill.

The act is sold as providing a voluntary patient choice, but doesn’t even have a requirement of being voluntary, capable or consenting when the lethal dose is administered.

People who ask about the act will lose their right to informed consent: They will lose the right to be told about alternatives for cure.

The claim that self-administration is required is not true. The act says that a patient “may” self-administer the lethal dose. There is no language that administration “must” be by self-administration.

Administration of the lethal dose is allowed to occur in private without a doctor or witness present. If the patient objected or even struggled, who would know?

The death certificate is required to list a terminal disease as the cause of death. The significance is that prosecution will not be possible, no matter what the facts. The death will be a terminal disease (not murder) as a matter of law.

Enactment will create the perfect crime to put older people in the crosshairs of their heirs and other predators.

Elder abuse is already not a well-controlled problem. Passing the proposed act will make the situation worse.